Monday, December 12, 2011

New FTD Patient Support Group



FTD Patient Support Group

I'm announcing the creation of the first FTD patient only support group. It will have a unique and unusual name. The FTD Patient Support Group will be a private group that's open to those with FTD. 


This will be a comfortable community for those with FTD.

AFTD
"This support group will be independently run by Howard Glick. The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) has offered to provide information, education and resources at the request of group participants to help them understand and cope with FTD in their lives."
Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration Link -  AFTD

Having FTD is not the end of life, it is just the beginning of a different type of life. We can never return to the life we once had, but we make the best of the life we have now. Everyone has the right to to happiness and purpose in life. Just because we have FTD does not give us the excuse or the right to roll over and die.


FTD is a  progressive disease. We need to keep adapting and changing because of the changes being made to our brains. In the group we will be able to share our experiences to help one another go through these changes.


This a place those with FTD can go and be with others that can relate to your life. You don't need to be alone with FTD any longer.


The group is meant to give those with FTD a sense of belonging. People with FTD will not only be able to be part of something special, but will be with people they will be comfortable with in a pleasant atmosphere.


We can share our experiences, good and bad with the goal of making a better life for ourselves. We can also the learn the difficult task of learning how to educate those around us about FTD. It's important for those around us understand who we are and what we're going through. 


By sharing our experiences with each other all be able to reduce the amount pain we're going through in day to day life.


The FTD Patient Support group will be a group to go to laugh and to cry. To share our former lives and current life.


We will try to help each other keep a positive attitude and work around all obstacles. 


We'll figure out the best way to deal with the symptoms of FTD through our experiences and make our lives a bit easier to live.


We all have behavior/language/symptoms with cause issues. We'll learn to get over things fast. None of us is perfect. If we do something that bothers us, we need to get over it and move on. We'll try to reduce the dwelling and ruminating over things we can't control.


Start thinking of positive things we can do to enhance our lives.


We need to be aware and accept the changes in our lives. The life we were living is over. Accept it and make a better life for yourself today. We'll help each other do this.


We all have experience with meds and doctors.  Some things work for some and not others. We can share our experiences.


How to Join

You need to have a Facebook account. Once you have a Facebook account you need to "friend" me. Search on Facebook for Howard Glick. I'm the Howard Glick in the New York Subway.


Send me a message with a request telling me you have FTD and would like to join the FTD Patient Support Group. You need to also confirm that you have a firm diagnosis with a scan. I will then add you to the group.


The names of the people in the group are confidential and will not be shared with anyone. No one will be able to see or access any of the names or information on any of  the members of the group from the outside. No personal information will ever be disseminated by me.


If FTD patients need the help of caregivers to participate, they are welcome.


Vulgar language and adult situations will be tolerated. This is real to our world and as long as it is being used to vent, or used in a constructive manner that's fine.


We already have people from 3 different countries that have joined.


I will be the moderator and be monitoring the group 7 days a week.


If you need help joining Facebook or have any other questions or concerns you can contact me directly via my email: howardjglick@gmail.com


Please help spread the word of this group get help those in need of help.

The FTD Patient Support Group will be be officially starting Wednesday December 14, 2011

3 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great idea Howard! If your track record without an 'official' support group is any indication, you'll certainly help a lot of people by forming this group. Rock on!!

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  2. Dear Howard, I've been my mom's primary caregiver for a year and a half. It's great to see your site. So many people think that the diagnosis signifies an end to all future happiness. But I believe that my Mom has had a much happier life since she was properly diagnosed and got connected to others with her disease or a true understanding of it. I am a professional writer and have a website too. Would love to interview you if you are interested. Check it out at www.betweenthepondandthewoods.com or on Facebook at Between the Pond and the Woods.

    Sincerely, Colleen

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  3. Hi Colleen,

    Glad to hear your mom is doing better since receiving the dx. You might want to suggest that she join my FTD Patient Support Group on Facebook. It's private and no posting goes outside. I'm building a comfortable community for people with FTD to go. Your welcome to help her if she needs it.

    I'm fine interviewing whenever you'd like. you can contact me at my email;
    howardjglick@gmail.com and I'll send you my phone.

    Sincerely,
    Howard

    ReplyDelete

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